Monday, January 25, 2010

Lambo: You know, 700 horsepower might be enough for street driving

How much horsepower is enough? While we're fairly certain some might be answering that rhetorical question with raised eyebrows, Lamborghini is seemingly content with a number just shy of 700 raging horses. That doesn't mean that the Italian supercar manufacturer won't continue its unabated push towards ever-quicker acceleration – though top speeds higher than 211 miles per hour sound unlikely – but there's clearly more than one way to skin a cat Prancing Horse.

...the answer to the power conundrum will be less weight. "We will use composite materials in the right place, when it also has the right cost, stiffness and mechanical characteristics," explains R&D chief Maurizio Reggiani...

Expect aluminum to be used in place of heavier steel, along with improved aerodynamics and stop/start technology to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions... it should be interesting to see how all the world's supercar manufacturers – Lamborghini included – grapple with the push to be green while also upholding their performance traditions.